What to change
Ask your supplier to make assistance optional and unobstructive, including when other banners, the phone keyboard or correction messages are present.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A visitor minimises assistance and can clearly reach the enquiry submission action. Its remaining trigger does not cover the field's error message.
Why this matters to your practice
A chat or assistance button is meant to help visitors, but it can cover the very form they are trying to complete. Ask your supplier to review it on the enquiry page with a correction message and cookie notice present. These elements may fit individually yet overlap together. The visitor should be able to minimise assistance and continue without obstruction. Review the remaining small trigger too, since a minimised panel can still cover an important button or instruction.
A practical review example
A chat panel may seem harmless on the homepage but cover the final enquiry button on a narrow screen. Ask your supplier to review the actual form with a correction message and cookie notice visible. Minimise assistance and continue the task, checking the small remaining trigger as well. Keyboard navigation should not lead to hidden controls beneath either state. The test concerns the combination of page elements visitors really encounter, rather than separate screenshots in which each floating component has ample empty space.
How to check the result
Accept when assistance can be opened and dismissed predictably and does not prevent the main task in either state.
A mistake to avoid
Checking the panel on an empty homepage misses the crowded form and error states where obstruction matters most.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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